Safeguard democracy, ensure probe agencies don't defame citizens, Mamata appeals to CJI

JALPAIGURI/KOLKATA: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday made a fervent appeal to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to safeguard democracy and ensure that investigative agencies do not defame citizens."Our safety, security, history, geography, and boundaries must all be protected. The media should not conduct trials before cases are finalised... We are under your custody. You are the guardians of the Constitution," Mamata told the CJI during the inauguration of Jalpaiguri circuit bench of Calcutta high court.CJI Kant appreciated the vision of Calcutta high court and the state govt in setting up a circuit bench in Jalpaiguri in 2019, noting that before its establishment, people from the region had to travel nearly 600 km to Kolkata in pursuit of justice.

"Today, it has its own home. This building is designed as a sophisticated synthesis of tradition and 21st-century digital agility. It stands as a testament to judicial decentralisation," he said.Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, who also attended the function, said Jalpaiguri circuit bench would be equipped with the latest technology, adding that "justice should not just happen but should also be seen to happen." He stressed the Centre's e-courts project, for which Rs 7,210 crore has been allocated in Phase III.